Kind-hearted Robbie raises cash for hospital with special Christmas gifts

KINDHEARTED .... Robbie Young, who has been diagnosed with cancer, is raising money for the children's unit that looks after him by making festive presents.

Published:18:00Saturday 22 December 2012

A SCHOOLBOY from South Tyneside is using his creative talents to raise cash for the medical staff helping to save his life.

Robbie Young, 11, was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkinson lymphoma during October.

The South Shields Community School pupil has been receiving treatment at the Children’s Cancer Unit at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Now back at his home in Copley Avenue, Whiteleas, South Shields, for the first time in eight weeks, Robbie has been making Christmas trees made from sweets, which he’s going to raffle in aid of the specialist unit.

Robbie said: “Everyone at the hospital has been really nice to me.

“I just wanted to do something nice for them.

“I saw a tree made out of sweets and decided to make some to sell to raise money for the ward.”

Robbie’s mother, Trisha Oley, 48, said: “I don’t know what to say.

“I am so proud of Robbie, he is absolutely amazing. When he was diagnosed with cancer, we were all shocked.

“He hadn’t appeared that poorly. But he is just taking everything in his stride.

“He came home last week, and the first thing he said was that he wanted to do something to raise money for the ward.

“He’s seen a Christmas tree made out of sweets and wanted to make one to raffle.

“He told me to take £40 out of his own money to buy the sweets, but we told him to keep his money and we would buy them.”

She added: “Since people have found out about what he’s doing, things have just escalated.

“We have had loads of donations.”

His father, Eddie Young, said: “Everyone at the RVI have been fantastic and can’t do enough to help.

“It’s amazing what Robbie is doing.

“Even though he is battling his own illness, he is thinking about others.”

Robbie, who has a twin brother, Ryan, and younger sister, Ellie, eight, was diagnosed with the disease after he underwent a series of blood tests because he was becoming unusually tired.

At first doctors thought he may have anaemia.

But more blood tests revealed he was suffering from Non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system.

About 80 children of all ages develop the disease in the UK each year and it is more common in boys than girls.

The causes of NHL are largely unknown.

n Raffle tickets are on sale now for the chance to win either Christmas trees made of sweets or one of a number of prizes donated to Robbie’s fund.

Strips of tickets are £1 and the raffle will be drawn on New Year’s Eve.